Kamelot ‎– Siége Perilous

With Kamelot's third studio album comes a major turning point in the bands history for two reasons. Number one being that with 'Siege Perilous', keyboards started to play a more pivotal role in the music, as opposed to previous releases where it was used sparingly in the background. And number two, of course, is the addition of former Conception frontman Roy Khan, a man who's distinct voice would go on to give Kamelot the identity they needed in order to stand out from the other power metal bands.

Unfortunately, these changes didn't instantly bring huge success upon the band, and while this is a good effort, it tends to feel more like a transitional period for the band as they begin to truly develop their own style.

Of course, that doesn't make this a bad album. Although there are a few rather forgettable tracks here, there are others that ooze of Kamelot's medieval-inspired charm. Songs like 'Providence', 'Parting Visions' and 'Irea' are all up there as some of the bands most memorable moments.

The addition of Khan and more prominent keyboards have laid down a path for where the band are headed in the future, but this still remains as nothing more than a good album. The symphonic elements are starting to materialize, though they're simplistic compared to future releases. Still, 'Siege Perilous' is a step in the right direction for Kamelot.

I ordered a copy of the Japanese pressing because of the remastered labeling. I don't have a non-Japanese copy to compare it to (I'm working off the memories I have) and I don't really think the upgrade is worth spending 3x the price. What I mostly wanted was the album to be louder and you don't really get that. I can't say that Siége Perilous had great production values to begin with, but I've always liked how the album sounds and the slightly lower-end production kind of enhances it in a weird way. Again, I wasn't really looking for instruments to sound better and crisper as much as I just wanted a leap in the volume.